Collapsible smoking vessel

ABSTRACT

A collapsible smoking vessel for collecting smoke for inhalation. Such a smoking vessel may include a bowl, an upper plate in which the bowl is disposed, a lower plate, and an expandable body portion disposed between the lower plate and the upper plate. The lower plate, body portion, and upper plate may enclose an airtight chamber having an opening only in the upper plate, in which the bowl is disposed. When smokable material is burned in the bowl, the expandable body portion may be expanded to draw smoke into the body portion, and when a user desires to inhale smoke, the bowl may be removed and the expandable body portion may be contracted to force smoke from the opening in the upper plate.

RELATED APPLICATION

This application is related to and claims priority to U.S. ProvisionalPatent Application Ser. No. 62/428,180 filed Nov. 30, 2016, which isincorporated by reference herein.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This generally relates to smoking and more particularly to a collapsiblevessel for smoking.

BACKGROUND

Smoking vessels that make use of water to provide a variable internalspace, also called “gravity bongs,” are often used to collect smoke forinhalation. This can allow a user to make more efficient use of asmokable substance, such as pipe tobacco or flavored tobacco (“shisha”).The two common types of smoking vessel that make use of this principleare the “bucket bong” and the “waterfall bong.”

In a “bucket bong,” the smoking vessel is typically formed from twocontainers. The base of the bucket bong is a large, open-toppedcontainer, such as a bucket, which is filled with water. A second,smaller container having an open bottom is used to collect the smokefrom the burning tobacco; this second container is often a two-literbottle that has had the base cut off to form the open bottom. Thesmaller container typically has an attached bowl in which the tobaccocan be placed and which will prevent it from entering the bottle. Often,this is a small brass-cut nozzle featuring an aerator screen to keep thetobacco held in place within the nozzle, while still permitting airflowbetween the nozzle and the inner portion of the bottle. The brass-cutnozzle may also have a rubber stopper or other device to improve theseal between the nozzle and the second container. This nozzle is placedin an opening of the second container, such as the top of the two-literbottle, in such a manner as to allow the nozzle to be easily removed.

To operate the bucket bong, the second container is placed, openbottom-side down, into the first container, until the second containeris immersed to a majority of its height (such as, for example, the neckof the two-liter bottle) in the water of the first container. Thetobacco or other smokable substance is then placed within the bowl, ontop of the screen. The bowl is then lit with a lighter or match, and thesecond container is gradually lifted out of the water until the secondcontainer is about to come out of the water or until the tobaccofinishes burning; this draws air past the burning tobacco and into thesecond container, containing the smoke for later use. Once the secondcontainer has been filled with smoke or the tobacco has been fullyburned, then, while the second container is held in place, the bowl(including the screen) is removed, exposing the opening of the secondcontainer, through which a user can draw smoke. The user can then placetheir mouth on the opening of the second container and draw smoke intotheir lungs as the second container is pushed back down into the water.The internal pressure of the second container will be graduallyincreased as the second container is pushed back down into the water,expelling smoke from the second container and into the user's lungs in acontrolled fashion. This provides a “smoother” draw of smoke from thesecond container than would be the case if the user were to inhale thesmoke from a cigarette or other such article, and provides the user witha sudden dose of smoke without a significant amount of smoke being lost.

In a “waterfall bong” or “reverse bucket bong,” typically only a smallercontainer, again often a two-liter bottle, is used. In a “waterfallbong,” the bowl is assembled in the same way as in the “bucket bong;”the bowl will typically include a brass-cut nozzle including an aeratorscreen and a rubber stopper, which is placed over an opening of thecontainer in such a way as to allow the bowl to be easily removed.However, instead of removing the bottom of the container so that thecontainer can be placed in a filled bucket, a sealable hole is providedin the bottom of the container.

To operate the “waterfall bong,” the sealable hole is initially sealedand the container is filled with water, up to the neck of the bottle ina two-liter design. The user then places the bowl on top of thecontainer, sealing the top of the container. The user then placestobacco in the bowl and lights it. The user then unseals the sealablehole in the bottom of the container, so that water is drained out of thecontainer via the hole. This will have the effect of drawing air pastthe burning tobacco, gradually filling the container with smoke from theburning tobacco, until eventually the container has been drained ofwater and filled with smoke. The bowl is then removed after thecontainer has been filled with smoke, allowing the user to inhale thesmoke; in this case, the draw is not as “smooth” as would be the casewith a bucket bong, as the user must inhale the smoke by inhaling itinto their lungs rather than by pushing it out gradually from thewaterfall bong.

Each of the “bucket bong” and the “waterfall bong” has signicantdownsides. The “bucket bong,” having a bucket filled with water as amajor component, must be very large and is not particularly portable.The “waterfall bong” expels water as a part of its function, requiringthat it be used over a sink or drain, and does not offer the user assmooth a draw as would be possible with a bucket bong. Accordingly, itis desirable to have a method and apparatus that avoid these and otherrelated problems.

SUMMARY

In one implemenation, a collapsible vessel for smoking is providedcomprising a collapsible container configured to expand, contract andhold smoke. The collapsible vessel also comprises a receptacleconfigured to hold a smokable material and attached to the collapsiblecontainer such that smoke from the smokable material flows into thecollapsible container.

In another implementation, a method for using a collapsible vessel forsmoking is provided comprising lighting a smokable material in areceptacle configured to hold the smokable material, and attachable to acollapsible container such that smoke from the smokable material in thereceptacle flows into the collapsible container. The method furthercomprises expanding the collapsible container configured to expand,contract and hold the smoke to draw the smoke into the collapsiblecontainer, and contracting the collapsible container to force the smokeout of a hole in the collapsible container.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is an exemplary embodiment of a bowl of a collapsible smokingvessel.

FIG. 1B is a cutaway view of an exemplary embodiment of a bowl of acollapsible smoking vessel.

FIG. 2A is an exemplary embodiment of an upper plate of a collapsiblesmoking vessel.

FIG. 2B is another exemplary embodiment of an upper plate of acollapsible smoking vessel.

FIG. 3A is an exemplary embodiment of a collapsible smoking vessel in acollapsed state.

FIG. 3B is an exemplary embodiment of a collapsible smoking vessel in anextended state.

FIG. 4A is an exemplary embodiment of a collapsible smoking vessel in acollapsed state being lit.

FIG. 4B is an exemplary embodiment of a collapsible smoking vessel in anextended state with the bowl removed.

FIG. 5 is an exemplary embodiment of a method of use of a collapsiblesmoking vessel.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

An exemplary embodiment of a collapsible smoking vessel may be shown anddescribed. Such a vessel may provide certain advantages over existing“gravity bongs.” For example, a collapsible smoking vessel may becollapsible to save space and may be sufficiently light as to bepersonally portable. Further, in an exemplary embodiment, a collapsiblesmoking vessel may be self-contained so that no liquid is expelled fromthe collapsible smoking vessel during operation, such that that there isno requirement to use the collapsible smoking vessel in conjunction witha sink or drain. Additionally, a collapsible smoking vessel may beextensible and compressible during use so that the user can manuallydetermine the rate at which air is drawn into the smoking vessel and therate at which smoke is expelled from the smoking vessel, ensuring thatthe user can achieve a smooth draw of smoke from the smoking vessel.

FIG. 1A depicts an exemplary embodiment of a bowl 100 of a collapsiblesmoking vessel. In an exemplary embodiment, a receptacle such as a bowl100 may be used to hold a smokable substance. The bowl 100 may beconstructed, for example, from a metallic material, such as brass oraluminum. In another exemplary embodiment, a bowl 100 may be constructedfrom another material that is chemically and thermally resistant; forexample, a bowl 100 may be constructed wholly or partially from glass orceramic.

In an exemplary embodiment, a bowl 100 may have a cavity 102 formed inthe center portion of the bowl 100 in which a quantity of smokablematerial, such as tobacco, may be placed. A ring 104 may be formedaround the cavity 102 and may facilitate the introduction of smokablematerial into the cavity 102; for example, an inner portion of the ring104 may be sloped so as to facilitate the introduction of smokablematerial into the cavity 102 by a user.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the outer portion of the bowl 100may have a grip 106, such as a knurled or ridged grip 106, which may beused in order to facilitate adding or removing the bowl 100 from thecollapsible smoking vessel. This may ensure that, once the smokablematerial has been lit and once the collapsible smoking vessel has beenfilled with smoke from the burning smokable material, the bowl 100 canbe easily removed from the collapsible smoking vessel. In an exemplaryembodiment, a grip 106 may be constructed from a thermally nonconductivematerial to facilitate removal of the bowl 100 once it has been heated;for example, a metal inner portion including the cavity 102 may bepaired with a ceramic outer portion, the ceramic outer portion bearingthe grip 106. In another exemplary embodiment, the grip 106 of a bowl100 may include one or more grooves extending around the circumferenceof the bowl 100 in which one or more rings constructed from anappropriate material (such as rubber, or another flexible materialhaving a high coefficient of friction) may be disposed, which may beused to aid a user in removing a bowl 100 from the remainder of thecollapsible smoking vessel. In an exemplary embodiment, the grip 106 mayalso function as, or may function instead as, a radiator; for example,ridges on the grip 106 may function as one or more radiator fins, asdesired.

In an exemplary embodiment, a bowl 100 may have an insertable portion108 configured to be inserted into an upper plate of a collapsiblesmoking vessel. An insertable portion 108 may be smooth or may notfeature any connectors, so as to facilitate easy removal of the bowl 100from the upper plate of the collapsible smoking vessel. In anotherexemplary embodiment, an insertable portion 108 may be threaded orroughened, or may have one or more connectors that may be coupled to theupper plate of the collapsible smoking vessel, so as to ensure that theinsertable portion 108 is properly held in place on the upper plate ofthe collapsible smoking vessel when in use. For example, a rubber ring(or ring constructed from another material) may be disposed around thecircumference of the insertable portion 108 and may be used to improvethe seal between the insertable portion 108 of the bowl and theremainder of the collapsible smoking vessel. In another exemplaryembodiment, another connector, such as, for example, a magneticconnector, or a physical coupling (which may be constructed from, forexample, plastic or metal, or another appropriate material) may be used.

FIG. 1B depicts a cutaway view of an exemplary embodiment of a bowl 100of a collapsible smoking vessel. In an exemplary embodiment, the cavity102 of the bowl 100 may terminate in an air-permeable lower portion 110.For example, an air-permeable lower portion 110 may be an aerator screencoupled to the lower portion of the bowl 100. In another exemplaryembodiment, the bowl 100 may be constructed from a single piece, and theair-permeable lower portion 110 may be formed by forming a number ofsmall holes in the lower surface of the bowl 100, the holes extendingfrom the bowl cavity 102 to the underside of the bowl I00 such that aircan pass freely between one side and the other.

FIG. 2A depicts an exemplary embodiment of an upper plate 200 of acollapsible smoking vessel. An upper plate 200 may include a center hole202, an outer ring 204 surrounding the center hole 202, and a sidewall206 extending downward from the outer rim of the outer ring 204. In anexemplary embodiment, the upper plate 200 may be constructed from solidmaterial, such as metal, ceramic, or plastic; in another exemplaryembodiment, the upper plate 200 may be wholly or partially hollow, suchthat a space is formed under the outer ring 204 and within the sidewall206. In an exemplary embodiment, the sidewall 206 of the upper plate 200may be a grip, and may include, for example, ridges or knurling, asdesired.

FIG. 2B shows another exemplary embodiment of an upper plate 200 of acollapsible smoking vessel. In another exemplary embodiment, thesidewall 206 may have one or more grooves in which a grip may bedisposed, for example, upper plate 200 of a collapsible smoking vesselmay have a rubber grip 208 disposed around its circumference, which maybe disposed in a groove located in the sidewall 206.

According to an exemplary embodiment, an upper plate 200 of acollapsible smoking vessel may also have one or more features intendedto increase heat transfer, such as heat transfer by convection, from thesurface of the upper plate 200. For example, an upper plate 200 of acollapsible smoking vessel may include one or more features thatincrease the surface area of the upper plate, such as one or more finsor one or more grooves 210, as desired. This may serve to cool the smokelocated within the collapsible smoking vessel more quickly, and mayensure that the collapsible smoking vessel operates at lower averagetemperatures.

FIG. 3A depicts an exemplary embodiment of a collapsible smoking vessel300 in a collapsed state. In an exemplary embodiment, a collapsiblesmoking vessel 300 may include a bowl 100, an upper plate 200 having anouter ring 204 and sidewall 206, a hollow body portion 302, and a lowerplate 304. The body portion 302 of the collapsible smoking vessel 300may be constructed from flexible material and may be expandable andcontractible; for example, the body portion 302 of the collapsiblesmoking vessel 300 may have an accordion-style fold by which it can beexpanded and contracted.

In an exemplary embodiment, a body portion 302 may be coupled to thelower part of the upper plate 200. For example, a body portion 302 maybe coupled to the lower part of the upper plate 200 by one or moreconnectors or by adhesive. In another exemplary embodiment, material ofthe body portion 302 may be placed between the sidewall 206 of the upperplate 200 and an inner sidewall of the upper plate 200 disposed inproximity to the sidewall 206 of the upper plate 200, and the sidewall206 crimped to the inner sidewall so that the material of the bodyportion 302 is gripped between the sidewall 206 and the inner sidewall.In another exemplary embodiment, an upper plate 200 may be constructedfrom two components, a top component and a bottom component, which maybe linked to each other (for example, magnetically linked to each other)with the material of the body portion 302 in the middle. In anotherexemplary embodiment, another connecting method may be used, as desired.According to an exemplary embodiment in which the upper plate 200includes a space formed under the outer ring 204 and within the sidewall206, the body portion 302 may be wholly or partially disposed withinthis space.

In an exemplary embodiment, a lower plate 304 may be a flat platewithout holes or openings constructed therein. A lower plate 304 mayalso be another shape, for example, curving outward or inward, as may bedesired.

The lower plate 304 may be constructed from the same material as theupper plate 200, such as metal, ceramic, plastic, or another material,as desired. The lower plate 304 and the upper plate 200 may beconstructed from different materials; for example, the lower plate 304may be constructed from a denser material and the upper plate 304 may beconstructed from a lighter material or a more thermally-resistantmaterial. A lower plate 304 may, like the upper plate 200, be coupled toa body portion 302, for example, by a connector, by adhesive, or byanother such method, as desired. As with the upper plate 200, accordingto an exemplary embodiment, the lower plate 304 may also have a sidewallhaving a grip formed thereon or may have a sidewall in which a grip(such as a rubber grip) is disposed.

FIG. 3B shows an exemplary embodiment of a collapsible smoking vessel300 shown in an expanded state. According to an exemplary embodiment,the body portion 302 of the collapsible smoking vessel 300 may have anaccordion-style fold by which it can be expanded or contracted, and thecollapsible smoking vessel 300 may be expanded or contracted along withthe body portion 302. This may expand or contract the size of a hollowcavity within the collapsible smoking vessel 300, allowing a quantity ofsmoke to be stored when smokable material is burned in the bowl 100.

FIG. 4A shows an exemplary embodiment of a collapsible smoking vessel300 in use, as shown in a first collapsed state. In an exemplaryembodiment, a user may operate the collapsible smoking vessel 300 byplacing smokable material within the bowl 100, such that the smokablematerial rests on the air-permeable lower portion 110 of the bowl 100.Once the smokable material is lit and burning, the user may slowlyexpand the body portion 302 of the collapsible smoking vessel 300 byholding the upper plate 200 of the collapsible smoking vessel 300 andletting the lower plate 304 of the collapsible smoking vessel 300 hangloose. This may allow gravity to expand the body portion 302 of thecollapsible smoking vessel to a maximum size, ensuring that asignificant quantity of smoke is captured. Alternatively, a user mayplace a hand under the lower plate 304 of the collapsible smoking vessel300 in order to guide it downward at a desired rate, for example, a rateslower than the rate at which it would otherwise fall.

FIG. 4B shows an exemplary embodiment of a collapsible smoking vessel300 in use, as shown in an expanded state. Once a collapsible smokingvessel 300 has been fully expanded and filled with smoke, a user mayremove the bowl 100 of the collapsible smoking vessel 100, exposing thecenter hole 202 of the upper plate 200, through which a user may inhalesmoke. By pressing on the lower plate 304 of the collapsible smokingvessel 100 while the collapsible smoking vessel 300 is in expanded form,air, containing smoke, may be forced from the top of the collapsiblesmoking vessel 300, through the center hole 202, and into the lungs of auser.

FIG. 5 shows steps in an exemplary method for using a collapsiblesmoking vessel. A user may first fill the bowl of the collapsiblesmoking vessel with a smokable material (step 502.) A user may thenlight the smokable material (step 504.) A user may then draw the lowerplate of the collapsible smoking vessel away from the upper plate of thecollapsible smoking vessel, expanding the body portion (step 506.) Theuser may then remove the bowl of the collapsible smoking vessel (step508) and contract the body portion (step 510,) forcing smoke out of thebody portion of the collapsible smoking vessel and into the lungs of theuser.

The foregoing description of various embodiments provides illustrationand description, but is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit theinvention to the precise form disclosed. Modifications and variationsare possible in light of the above teachings or may be acquired frompractice in accordance with the present invention. It is to beunderstood that the invention is intended to cover various modificationsand equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of theappended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A collapsible vessel for smoking, comprising: a collapsible container configured to expand, contract and hold smoke; and a receptacle configured to hold a smokable material and attached to the collapsible container such that smoke from the smokable material flows into the collapsible container.
 2. The collapsible vessel of claim 1, wherein a bottom of the receptacle is air-permeable to allow the smoke to flow into the collapsible container.
 3. The collapsible vessel of claim 1, wherein the receptacle is on top of the collapsible container.
 4. The collapsible vessel of claim 1, wherein the receptacle is at least partially inside the collapsible container.
 5. The collapsible vessel of claim 1, wherein the collapsible container comprises a hole configured to receive the receptacle for insertion.
 6. The collapsible vessel of claim 1, wherein the collapsible container comprises a first metal plate on top, and a second metal plate on the bottom.
 7. The collapsible vessel of claim 6, wherein the first metal plate and second metal plate are cylindrical.
 8. The collapsible vessel of claim 1, wherein sides of the collapsible container comprise a flexible material to allow the collapsible container to contract and expand.
 9. The collapsible vessel of claim 1, wherein the collapsible vessel is portable.
 10. The collapsible vessel of claim 1, wherein the collapsible container does not contain water and does not contain water vapor.
 11. A method for using a collapsible vessel for smoking, comprising: lighting a smokable material in a receptacle configured to hold the smokable material, and attachable to a collapsible container such that smoke from the smokable material in the receptacle flows into the collapsible container; and expanding the collapsible container configured to expand, contract and hold the smoke to draw the smoke into the collapsible container; and contracting the collapsible container to force the smoke out of a hole in the collapsible container.
 12. The method of claim 11, further comprising putting the smokable material in the receptacle before lighting the smokable material.
 13. The method of claim 11, further comprising attaching the receptacle to the collapsible container.
 14. The method of claim 11, further comprising removing the receptacle from the collapsible container after expanding the collapsible container.
 15. The method claim 11, wherein a bottom of the receptacle is air-permeable to allow the smoke to flow into the collapsible container.
 16. The method of claim 11, wherein the receptacle is on top of the collapsible container.
 17. The method of claim 11, wherein the hole is configured to receive the receptacle for insertion.
 18. The method of claim 11, wherein sides of the collapsible container comprise a flexible material to allow the collapsible container to contract and expand.
 19. The method of claim 11, wherein the collapsible vessel is portable.
 20. The method of claim 11, wherein the collapsible container does not contain water and does not contain water vapor. 